Head To Head
by Pnutball
Summary: Hermione is made Head Girl, and Draco is made Head Boy. They hate it, but all this time together reveals things about each other that they never wanted to know....
1. Head Boy?

1 Head to Head  
  
1st Chapter  
  
"Miss Granger?"  
  
  
  
I whipped around. Professor McGonagall was standing at the entrance to our compartment. I hurriedly shut and hid the book I was reading: A Hundred Hexes For Slytherins, and How To Aggravate Them. Head Girls weren't exactly supposed to be reading that sort of stuff.  
  
"Yes Professor?"  
  
"May I escort you to your compartment?" she asked  
  
"Um, this IS my compartment, Professor." I answered, quizzically.  
  
Sharlette Hall and Emma Gaulkner giggled, from their seats next to me. I silently willed them to be quiet. My friends were extremely giggly; especially Shar, and it didn't look as if McGongall wouldn't hand out a few detentions right this minute. In fact, she looked extremely panicky.  
  
"Er, yes Professor!" Ron Weasley piped up from next to Harry, who was immersed in one of his usual daydreams, "She's not deserting us this soon!"  
  
"I assure you, Mr Weasley, that she must, and will do so," the Professor said crisply, "She is Head Girl."  
  
I saw Ron roll his eyes. Like he didn't know. I had only talked about it all summer when I went to stay with the Weasleys. Ron had complained that I was beginning to sound like Percy all summer. Harry had just kept quiet, as always.  
  
"You will share the Head's compartment near the back of the train. The Head Boy is already there and waiting." she frowned a little as she said the last few words, but I decided not to comment.  
  
I shrugged at my friends, and started to gather up my luggage and Crookshanks, who had been extremely bored this train ride, with no Scabbers to torture, but Professor McGonagall waved her hand dismissively.  
  
"Oh, that will be done for you soon enough!" she said, "Come ALONG, Miss Granger! The train is about to leave."  
  
So I followed her down to the back of the train, down to a large compartment. There was a gold-plated sign on the sliding door, which read: Head Boy and Head Girl, Do Not Disturb.  
  
I was thankful that Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw, would be Head Boy with me, though I had been hoping it would be either Harry or Ron, since the Head's spend so much time together. But a Ravenclaw was much better than a Slytherin. She shuddered at the thought of having Malfoy, for example, one of the slimiest Slytherins, instead of Terry. Not a happy thought.  
  
"Go in Ms Granger, and you will find your trunk and Crookshanks have made themselves very comfortable there." Said Prof. McGongall, "There has also been a slight change of plan. Mr Boot has dropped out of Hogwarts. It seems that his parents were moving to Bulgaria, and wished to send him to Durmstrang." She sniffed. "So we have appointed a new Head Boy. I will leave you two to, er, sort yourselves out."she said extremely quickly, and left me staring at the mahogany door..  
  
I wiped my sweating palms onto my cream silk shirt, and walked slowly in. This was the Big Moment. The start of my year as Head Girl.  
  
I may as well be friendly, though it would be kind of strange, since Terry and I had had to spend a few weeks in each others company last year, just to get acquainted, but now I would have to met some new guy. HOW could Terry have done that? Damn him! I cursed silently.  
  
  
  
"Hi!" I said, plastering a fake smile on my face, and walked in.  
  
But my jaw dropped as I saw the boy sitting in the compartment, Draco Malfoy.  
  
He looked at me with a self-satisfied grin, the one which I had hated for six years.  
  
"Malfoy!" I spat bitterly.  
  
"Aha! The Mudblood returns! Didnt expect me here, now, did you Granger?" he said, stroking Crookshanks, who had climbed onto his lap.  
  
"Get your hands off my cat!" I yelled, my face going scarlet. How dare he even touch Crookshanks?  
  
"Oooh! Calm down Mudblood! Don't want to get all your dirty blood boiling, now, do we?" he drawled, pretending to be scared. He continued Crookshanks,who was now purring contentedly.  
  
Traitor cat.  
  
I glared at him, and sat down on the other side of the carriage, as far away as possible.  
  
"How on earth did YOU manage to get Head Boy?" I sneered at him, hoping that this was all a stupid joke, and that somebody else, anybody else, was actually Head Boy.  
  
"I'm not downright stupid, Granger!"  
  
"Oh really?" I replied coolly, "That's a surprise Malfoy. I expected Crabbe to be doing better than you."  
  
His face filled with anger. His icy, cold blue eyes seemed to freeze on my face, but then travelled downwards, onto my face, and my body, and my legs, and back up onto my face, with a smirk on it.  
  
I was filled with such a strong urge to slap him, that I began to get out of my seat, but then thought the better of it.  
  
I drew out my wand, opened my Hexes book, and began to chant:  
  
"Slytherins come and Slytherins go,  
  
And respect, they never show,  
  
Their Slytherin mind is slimy and grim.  
  
Courtesy is never a token,  
  
So bring it all out into the open!"  
  
My wand shot out a beam of bronze light, and I shut my book happily.  
  
Malfoy, revenge is sweet!  
  
But he only stared at me, and began laughing. "Ha! I don't think that spell worked Granger! 'The Slytherin mind is slimy and grim'? No wonder!"  
  
But I just grinned to myself, cast a Silencing Charm around my seat, and opened Hogwarts, A History.  
  
  
  
Oh, what do you guys think????  
  
I would LOVE it if you could review it, suggest room for improvement, and give me some ideas!  
  
See, they couldn't fall into each others arms right now, could they?  
  
Pnutball 


	2. Same Old Malfoy

1 Head to Head  
  
1st Chapter  
  
  
  
"Going to change, Mudblood?"  
  
I started out of my slumber, feeling suddenly disorientated. Where was I?  
  
"Well?" I heard a familiar voice drawl, once again. The Silencing Charm must have worn off.  
  
I gritted my teeth in frustration. Malfoy.  
  
************  
  
"What's your problem, Malfoy?" I snapped, with all the dignity I could muster with my robes half-way over my head.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently.  
  
Like he didn't know, having been griping about "How he was forced to share his position with a dirty great Mudblood." for about half an hour, after waking me up. I just didn't need this kind of attitude from him. I pulled my robes over my head, and spoke clearly, clear enough for that thick-head to understand.  
  
"Just remember, Malfoy, that you were only second choice, so don't blow up your extremely large head any more than you need to."  
  
"Yeah. Whatever Granger!" he muttered moodily. I cheered silently. He obviously didn't like the idea of him being second-string to Terry Boot. One point to me!  
  
"And as much as I hate the idea, we are going to have to learn to compromise, if we have to work together for a whole year." I stated, hoping he would work with me.  
  
"I suppose so. But just don't start all your little Mudblood ways over the year, leave it till summer." He sighed, as if it was a chore just making conversation with me.  
  
I felt my hand rising, and preparing to slap him so hard that his stupid smile would be sent to oblivion.  
  
No. I heard a voice say in my head. The sensible part of me, I thought.  
  
The sensible voice spoke again: Remember the hex.  
  
********************  
  
  
  
"HARRY! EMMA!"  
  
I ran up to my friends, thoroughly out of breath. It had took me about a millisecond to realise that I didn't have to be in the company of Malfoy much longer after the train had stopped, and I had escaped the compartment, thankful to never have to see it again until the end of the year.  
  
"HERMIONE!" Emma yelled, looking anguished.  
  
"What's the matter?" I jogged up to her, worried.  
  
"Not me! ITS YOU! I heard that Malfoy was made Head Boy because Boot dropped out!" She patted my arm sympathetically.  
  
"Well, its not that bad," I began, "I don't really have to spend that much time with him."  
  
"That's the worst." Harry interjected, "You will."  
  
We started walking along to the big Stagecoaches, decorated with the Hogwarts Crest, I was beginning to feel anxious. What did Harry mean?  
  
"Well, where are Ron and Shar?" I asked, trying to change the subject, and get rid of the bad feeling that was growing in the pit of my stomach.  
  
"Oh, erm, they snuck off into another compartment after you left, and we haven't seen them since. I wonder what they could be doing?" Harry grinned mischievously, he knew perfectly well what they were doing.  
  
"I saw that coming for a while!" Emma boasted, as we boarded a stagecoach, "It was just so OBVIOUS!"  
  
"Yes, it was." I admitted. I had thought that maybe it was Ron and me that were meant to be together, the way we had got jealous whenever we saw each other with other guys or girls, but we realized that the way we felt was just like the way a kid feels when his big sister gets a boyfriend, you felt like you were being replaced. That was it. But both Ron and I knew that no one could replace Harry or each other in our lives, we were the best of friends, after all.  
  
I began to feel very cheerful again, and was just about to open my mouth when Harry spoke up.  
  
"About Malfoy."he began.  
  
"Oh yes. HIM!" I scowled, but I was determined not to let him ruin my mood, "He just moaned throughout the train ride, and kept calling me "Mudblood". Not that I really care."  
  
Harry looked uncomfortable, so did Emma. I stared at them suspiciously.  
  
"Is there something you know that I don't?" I demanded.  
  
"Well." Emma began, looking uneasy, but was drowned out my the noise of thousands of feet clattering out of the coaches, and up the fleeting steps, into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
I yanked my friends out of the coach, and back to school.  
  
*************************************************  
  
  
  
"Volley, Margherita. RAVENCLAW!"  
  
"Ron?"  
  
"Zanta, Sophie. HUFFLEPUFF!"  
  
"RON!"  
  
"WHAT?" he snapped, startled.  
  
"Where's Shar?" I asked, pointedly. We had seen Ron at the Gryffindor table, but no Sharlette.  
  
"Oh, erm, I dunno.." he blushed, and stared so hard at his plate that he didn't notice when a pile of mashed potatoes appeared on it.  
  
"Oh, come off it, Ron, we know all about it, now WHERE IS SHE?"  
  
"Well, w-we heard that we had reached the station, and then she just ran out of the compartment, she said she was looking for you."  
  
"Did anything happen, I mean, anything to upset her?" I was genuinely agitated now. Shar is very emotional. I mean, she went all blubbery when we cut up flobberworms in Potions, for god's sake! ANYTHING could upset her!  
  
"Well, not exactly. Crabbe and Goyle just popped in for a friendly visit." He grimaced, "And they said something about Malfoy being Head Boy. As if! And Shar believed them, I guess." He shrugged, and began helping himself to some gravy.  
  
  
  
"Miss Granger!"  
  
I sighed. What now?  
  
"Yes Professor McGongall?" I answered politely.  
  
"Do you know anything about being Head Girl, Ms Granger?" she asked me hotly.  
  
"Uh.." I mumbled dubiously, she didn't seem very pleased.  
  
"I will explain it thoroughly then. But come along now! You will not eat at the Gryffindor table from now on. You will sit with the-"  
  
I winced, I knew what was coming.  
  
"-Head Boy." She finished, pointing to small table, set for two, beside the High Table, on the large stage.  
  
And guess who was already sitting there?  
  
"Malfoy." I muttered darkly  
  
"Report to me after the Feast, Ms Granger, and bring Mr Malfoy with you. We have some things to go over."  
  
I groaned. Being Head Girl wasn't all it was cut out to be.  
  
**********************************  
  
Malfoy looked up as I walked over to the table, and sat myself down.  
  
"Hey Granger." He said softly, "Pretty nice table, huh?"  
  
I had to admit, it was lovely. It was dark pine, small, but exquisite. It looked as though somebody had spent forever carving it. It had mermaids, phoenixes, unicorns and centaurs carved around the edges, and all the way down the table leg. The table top was made of crystal, smooth and shining, that looked as if it was reflecting clouds in the sunset.  
  
It was almost.romantic.  
  
"It must be charmed, like the ceiling," I whispered, gazing into Malfoy's steely silver eyes. A shiver went through me.  
  
  
  
He looked back at me, and for a second, I felt uncomfortable.  
  
"Trust you to know that, Granger." he hissed bitterly, totally shocking my system. How could I have felt like I had a few seconds ago? This was Draco Malfoy.  
  
We ate in silence, and stood up, as Professor McGongall walked over, just as the Feast ended. I looked longingly over as Emma, Ron and Harry as they hurried to the Gryffindor Common Room. Oh well, I supposed I would join them after this little lecture.  
  
***************************************  
  
OK, REVIEW PLEASE! I SPENT AGES ON THIS CHAPTER!  
  
(THIRD ONE UP TOMORROW!) 


	3. Say What? Hermione...

1 Head to Head  
  
3rd Chapter (Hi to Angel, G.Girl, and Expelliarmus!!!!)  
  
(And Hi to Milky, Parvati, Pixie, ChoChang, Vanilla, lil_peeps, and anyone else from sound off who reads it!)  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** *******  
  
  
  
"I am sure that both of you are well aware that you will be living in close quarters," began Professor McGonagall, "Yes?"  
  
I shook my head dumbly, beginning to feel more useless every second. WHY hadn't I paid more attention last year?  
  
I saw Malfoy shaking his head with me. I was surprised. It isn't everyday that Draco Malfoy admits that he doesn't know something.  
  
"Uh, do we have to?" he asked, with all the intelligence of a hippopotamus.  
  
Professor McGongalls eyes flashed, a danger sign. I tried to shoot the stupid git a warning look, but he was still staring at her.  
  
"Well, as far as I know," she began coldly, "Every Head Girl and Boy have been honoured to have a wing of the castle all to themselves. You two definitely a first."  
  
A wave of shame washed onto me. It shouldn't matter that we are from different houses. It shouldn't matter that Malfoy is a stuck-up jerk. It shouldn't.oh, who am I kidding? It does!  
  
But, as Ron says: If in doubt, lie.  
  
"Oh, of course we are. We just weren't aware." I began lamely. I am so not good at fibbing!  
  
It was obvious that Malfoy (that prat) knew that we might find ourselves as Prefects (perish the thought!) instead of Heads if we didn't act quickly.  
  
"Yes.Professor. Of course we are honoured!" he began, as slick as oil, "Shall we move on? I have heard that the Head's Rooms are most splendid!" he finished, sounding as if he was about 60 years old.  
  
But, urgh, he was plenty convincing, but for once, I was glad. I mean, we have to be in the Professors good books, don't we?  
  
"Very well." Said the Professor shortly, "Follow me."  
  
We did. Down the long, lit corridors, higher and higher, up about 50 staircases and through trick walls. 'How are we ever going to get down to breakfast and to our classes on time?' I worried.  
  
The Professor saw my look and cleared her throat loudly, to get our (wandering) attention. "There are portals in your lounge, they will automatically transport you to your common rooms, the Great Hall, and whatever corridor you wish to go to." She smiled. This was a new addition, I guessed.  
  
Technology at Hogwarts! Who'd have thought?  
  
  
  
As we carried on climbing, I let my eyes wander from picture to picture, watching old hags drink tea, Merlin scratch his nose (a bit too hard, he drew some blood..), and Sir Cadogan.  
  
"AHOY there, fair maiden!" he yelled across the stairwell, "Hast thou requested the services of Sir Cadogan?"  
  
I rolled my eyes . Some things never change, do they?  
  
"You know that guy?" Malfoy asked me, indicating towards Sir Cadogan, who had promptly forgotten all about me, and was playing Chasey with his poor horse.  
  
"Why should you care?" I snapped defensively. No way was I going to let Malfoy start calling me a Mudblood AND stating that the only friends I had were paintings, or whatever pathetic name he could come up with.  
  
I turned away from him, and walked quickly to the Professor, who had stopped in front of a tiny painting, barely bigger than a thumbnail that was hanging a few feet up on the wall, just below my waist.  
  
"WHAT is that?"  
  
I turned around, annoyed. Couldn't this guy ever shut up?  
  
"It's a painting, Malfoy." I snapped, "Surely, you should know that by now!"  
  
He blatantly ignored me, and began jabbering to the Professor, who was looking extremely weary.  
  
"Mr Malfoy, I assure you, you will not have to squeeze yourself through a door of this size," she began, guessing what was on our minds, "Watch."  
  
She turned and faced the miniscule portrait, and muttered under her breath:  
  
"Gryfferin."  
  
_______********* _______ a minute later  
  
The picture inside the painting seemed to come alive, voices were emitting from the coats of paint.  
  
"Blimey, Serpent, why'd you put the batter in first? We need the fruit at the bottom!"  
  
"Ssssorry...i ate the fruit."  
  
I bent down curiously, and brought my eye close up to the painting, and saw the only thing that made me laugh all day.  
  
A green serpent, wearing something that looked like a pair of silver spectacles, was standing erect, behind what looked suspiciously like a kitchen counter, and staring at the ground sullenly, while a majestic golden lion wearing crimson knickerbockers yelled at him angrily, obviously unaware of their audience. It looked like a cookery program gone a bit wrong.  
  
"YOU ATE THE FRUIT? How are we supposed to make fruit trifle without FRUIT?" the lion barked at the shamefaced snake, "Typical!"  
  
The serpent looked stubborn, and raised its scaly head to reply, but caught sight of me, laughing my head off in a most childish manner.  
  
"Do you mind misssss?" the serpent hissed indignantly, "We're having a domestic."  
  
I nearly went into hysterics at that, but was silenced quickly by a Look from McGonagall.  
  
"Would you two be kind enough to open the hole?" she snapped at the two animals.  
  
"Why?" asked the lion, tugging on his gleaming mane in bewilderment.  
  
"BECAUSE the Head Girl and Head Boy need to get to their wing!" said Professor McGonagall, shaking he head in disbelief, "Open the hole, NOW!"  
  
The animals sighed, and the lion waved his hand (as the snake couldn't, because he didn't have any.) and the tiny frame swung forward.  
  
  
  
**********************************  
  
"Nice rooms, huh Granger?"  
  
I nodded blankly, and carried on reading.  
  
"Which bedroom d'you want?"  
  
I shrugged unconcernedly. Who cared about the rooms? They were identical. Green and gold wallpaper covered the walls, with the Slytherin and Gryffindor mascots stencilled on. The beds were four-poster, and sported magnificent scarlet and silver hangings - bedspreads matching. ("To create an inter-house environment.", as Professor McGongall had said.)  
  
Both had doors leading to our respective bathrooms, which were, thankfully, decorated in our own respective House colours.  
  
"Well, I'm taking the one with the door to the tower room, if you don't mind." he smirked. I bet he thought that he had a gigantic perk, or something. Something that I didn't have.  
  
Yeah RIGHT. He hadn't even looked around the whole of our wing, just plopped himself onto the large futon couch after inspecting the bedrooms, which were probably his main priority.  
  
"Whatever ." I shrugged again, and shut 'A Hundred Hexes For Slytherins, and How To Aggravate Them'. "I'm going to my common room. Knock yourself out."  
  
I went over to the painting of the Lion and the Snake, which obviously penetrated both sides of the wall, and whispered: "Gryfferin!"  
  
I heard Malfoy sniggering behind me, but took no notice, that jerk was probably thinking of more put-downs for the many Muggle-borns in the school. Best just to ignore him, I told myself.  
  
The Lion sighed, and waved his hand at me, and went back to discussing the usefulness of apricot glaze with his companion.  
  
The painting launched itself forward on its hinge once more, and dissolved completely, leaving me staring at a blank postage-stamp sized bit of stone wall, standing out from the sea of colour all around it.  
  
Now, what was the spell again? I suddenly realized that I had totally spaced out as Professor McGongall had reminded us of the many spells and secret passwords that we had to use to get out of our wing.  
  
I sighed mentally. Now I had to ask Mr Pureblood.  
  
"Malfoy." I began, turning around, but as cut off by a derisive snort.  
  
"Honestly, don't you know where anything is, Mudblood?" he asked me, not that he thought I would actually reply, "You don't use the PORTRAIT to get to your common room! WE have portals, remember?" he indicated to the shimmering mirrors standing desolately in the far corner of the lounge.  
  
I flushed. That's right, first thing you go and do is make a fool of yourself in front of the person who would most likely bring a video camera to tape it if he could, I scolded myself. Not that he knew what a video camera was...  
  
I walked silently over to the narrowest mirror, and said "Socianum!", while stepping through it at the same time. It was just like 'Alice Through The Looking-Glass', a Muggle book which I was very fond of.  
  
Suddenly, the ground dropped from under me, and I found myself in the familiar cosy room, fully of squashy armchairs, all donned in gold and red, Gryffindor colours.  
  
  
  
"HERMIONE!"  
  
I spun around, alarmed, but was relieved to find Sharlette Jeonly racing towards me. I stepped forward to greet her, but was nearly knocked over as she threw herself tragically into my arms.  
  
"What the." I began bewildered, not moving in case Sharlette fell over, since I seemed to be the only solid object supporting her at the moment.  
  
"Where were you? Did McGonagall tell you about you having to." she broke off, as Ron bounced over to me, grinning as if he had just won the Quidditch World Cup.  
  
"Hey Head Girl!" he said to me jovially, bowing low down to the ground.  
  
"You can call me Hermione, " I snapped irritably, "and don't walk like that, you'll become a replica of Quasimodo."  
  
OK, I knew perfectly well that he was bowing, but I didn't really want to have to contend with Ron's endless teasing right now. I had bigger fish to fry.  
  
"What?" Ron asked, straightening his back, "Who's Quasimodo?" He shot me a confused look.  
  
I sighed, and prepared to launch into a full-blown story about 'The Hunchback Of Notre' Dame' , but Emma, jumped in.  
  
"Oh..Quasimodo was the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ron! Really, you should be taking the Muggle Studies course; we're doing Legends now! Honestly."  
  
How could she have known? She had lived in a strict wizarding community before she came to Hogwarts - no Muggles allowed. And no Muggle-borns either, for some reason.  
  
Ron stared at Emma, and I did to.Harry suddenly stiffened in his seat, a short way in front of us, where he was playing Chess with Dean Thomas.  
  
I felt a shiver run up and down my spine.Shar obviously hadn't noticed, and, having finally gotten Emma to stop lecturing Ron, was chattering to her in a unconcerned sort of way. But she didn't know .  
  
Emma.Emma had sounded like my clone! She had used the same mannerisms, the same exasperated, bossy voice, that my friends had been so accustomed too, only last year, before I had changed.  
  
I quickly tried to push that thought to the back of my mind, but my all my attention was now focused on the brunette in front of me.  
  
I risked a quick look at Ron and Harry, both of whom were staring at me with wide disbelieving eyes - I shook my head ever so slightly.just to warn them to back off.  
  
Ron looked at me as if I was mad, but quickly shut up with as Harry glared at him ferociously.  
  
Shar was staring at us now, I suppose we hadn't been too subtle with our (bad) body-language. But no way was I going to tell her.  
  
"Whats the matter?" she asked.  
  
"Uh, we ate a Puffskein.." Ron stammered, his ears going red.  
  
I shook my head in a disbelieving sort of way. We ATE a Puffskein???  
  
Shar was giving us funny looks, but I guess she decided not to comment. Maybe she was worried about our mental state of mind.I couldn't blame her.We ate a PUFFSKEIN??  
  
"Er.I gotta go check up on my sister." she mumbled, avoiding our eyes, "the one that was sorted into Ravenclaw, y'know?"  
  
She slipped out of the portrait hole, and left the FOUR of us staring at each other.  
  
"Er.i have to go unpack."Emma said, looking uncomfortable, "Lots of new robes to hang up.."  
  
And with that, disappeared up the Girls staircase.  
  
I have to admit, I was kind of relieved. I mean, we (meaning Ron, Harry and I ) hadn't told Shar or Emma about the events of last summer, having only known them a year. They both got transferred here in our sixth year, from a little magical school somewhere is Wales.  
  
"So, I guess Emmas the one." Ron said finally, still dumbstruck.  
  
"But HOW could it be her?"I gasped, sliding into an armchair, "She's not on the Dark side."  
  
"WHOSE not on the Dark side?"  
  
Oh my god.we had totally forgotten about Dean, and he was sitting right next to us!  
  
I went into totally panic mode, I am ashamed to say, and cast a Memory Charm on him! I don't think that we are even allowed to do them.but luckily, there wasn't anyone else in the common room.  
  
"Er,Harry?" Dean began, his eyes doing loop-the-loops in their sockets.  
  
"Yeah?" Harry answered, nervous in case Dean asked about our conversation.  
  
"Brush your hair.and give the Fat Lady some cabbage, will you? She sure needs it.." he murmered sleepily, "Night!"  
  
He slouched up to the Boys Dormitory, unaware of the fact that it was only 7.30pm.  
  
************************************************  
  
"Oh! THAT went well!" Ron scowled at me, plopping down onto the sofa opposite the roaring fire.  
  
"Don't.."I sighed tiredly, shutting my eyes, trying to block out the horrific mental images of last summer that flooded into my mind continuously. If only we had never.  
  
"We cant keep it from everyone for much longer, Hermione." Harry said gently, "It'll show soon. And Emma will have to go over. We cant prevent that from happening."  
  
"We HAVE to, Harry!"I choked, tears stinging the back of my eyes, "Emma's one of our closest friends. We cant just give up on her! Its all my fault anyway."  
  
"I know."he said miserably, "But at least we have a year to figure out what we have to do."  
  
"But what if that's not enough time? What if it starts early?" I whimpered, a single, solitary tear trickling down my cheek.. Why did this stuff always happen to us?  
  
"Don't you think we're sort of overreacting?" Ron said sensibly, his face creasing up in thought, "I mean, this is the first time it showed.it could just be because you and Emma hang around such a lot.and there are at least 500 other girls in the school, who could be the chosen ones, not just Emma."  
  
"Right!" said Harry brightly, gathering up his chessboard, "I'd better go down to McGongall, she said something about tryouts for the Quidditch Team.hope this years lot are as good as last years! No one got hit by a single Bludger, can you believe? Its ok, Hermione, we'll try do something, but I HAVE to go to McGongall, I'm Quidditch Captain, remember?" he added when he saw my expression,.  
  
I sighed. Yes, Harry was Quidditch Captain, and I was Head Girl. We had other things to do.things that were terribly insignificant, but important all the same.  
  
"Yeah, your right." I sighed, "Go on...Professors not in a good mood."  
  
Harry went, but not before looking at me in a sorrowful kind of way..what was up with him? But he was gone before I could ask.  
  
********************************** (A/N: Ok, I might be using too many of these.)  
  
"So, no Head Girl duties, then?" Ron asked me, lazily spreading his gangly frame out on the enormous sofa.  
  
"No.but I need a favour.." I said, a weak, but beseeching smile on my face.  
  
"What is it?" Ron asked, uninterestedly. I suppose THAT was because most of the favours I asked were work-related in some way - but not any more.  
  
"Malfoy."I said stoutly.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"I need you to help me get back at Malfoy."  
  
"What'd he do now?" Ron said, lazily shuffling a pack of cards.  
  
"Just being his usual obnoxious self.but that's not the point.I cast a Revealing spell on him."  
  
"You.WHAT???" Ron snickered, as if he couldn't believe what I had just said. "Hermione.yeah RIGHT! I DON'T THINK SO.."  
  
"I DID Ron!" I bellowed, exasperated. Draco, Emma, Harry and now Ron..was this ever going to end?  
  
"OK, OK.."he said, a little nervously, as always does when I get into a rage, "So, what do you want me to do?"  
  
"We have to....."  
  
  
  
About fifteen minutes later, after I tol Ron my plan, his attitude towards this had changed dramatically.  
  
"So, when are we gonna do it?" he asked, his eyes twinkling, and a HUGE grin on his face.  
  
"Oh.very soon.."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
What a place to leave you, eh????  
  
Plz read and reviewwww!! ( 


	4. A Helping Hand

Head to Head – Chapter 4  
  
_________________________  
  
AUTHORS NOTE: Ok, I understand that some of you are getting a bit confused? Well, I guess I owe you guys, so I have summarised what has happened so far:  
  
Hermione and Draco are Head Boy and Girl: Extreme dislike on Hermione's part – but what about Draco? Minor attraction MAYBE?  
  
There is something up with Emma. Suddenly. She begins to talk, sound and think like Hermione. Harry, Ron and Hermione herself know whats going, but no way are they going to tell. No one can ever know…but will that mean losing one of their best friends too? Forever?  
  
Ron and Hermione come up with a plan for the Revealing Charm Hermione cast on Draco in the First Chapter, if you remember it. What will they do? And just WHAT is in store for Draco Malfoy?  
  
Harry is being kind of quiet. Lost in his own world…but he can sense something. Something drawing nearer to them every day, every hour, every minute…  
  
Every second.  
  
_______________________________________________  
  
Chapter 4.  
  
_______________________________________________  
  
Harry's PoV  
  
I left the Gryffindor Common Room, muttering distractedly about Quidditch positions to no one in particular. As I strolled down the long corridor, my mind drifted. I was almost content. I was Quidditch Captain, and STILL the Gryffindor Seeker, even thought I was a 7th Year! I had the two greatest friends in the world; my grades were doing well, surprisingly. Even Snape hasn't managed to fail me in anything. Ron thinks Hermione's a bad influence on me.  
  
Hermione?, I had chuckled at his comment, Hermione is Little Ms Perfect!  
  
And now I realized, she was. Well, she had been.  
  
Angrily, I pushed the thought out of my head. This was so stupid! I couldn't feel like that. I shouldn't!  
  
Only a few months ago I could laugh freely with Hermione, but now, I couldn't do anything but watch her. Watch the changes take place. Marvel at her courage. Shed for her, invisible tears.  
  
Feel my heart break – for my best friend.  
  
********************************* 


	5. Innermost Thoughts

Head To Head  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Draco's PoV  
  
Argh. I hate that stupid Mudblood; I thought sourly, as I shuffled some papers around on my desk.  
  
With her stupid oh-so-perky Gryffindor friends, her perfect record, her perfect family…Perfect family? I was startled as that thought sneaked into my conscious. She was a Mudblood – and had Muggle parents, then what was so perfect?  
  
But, seriously, they love her. I've seen the way they would wave wistfully to her, at Platform 9 ¾ - they would miss her all term. And the way they welcomed her back at the end of the year, all smiles, and a warm, inviting home waiting.  
  
Not that I'm jealous or anything.  
  
Hah.  
  
Who am I kidding?, I thought, as I heaved myself out of my chair with a long-suffering sigh, my 'life' was nothing compared to Granger's.  
  
Father – a death eater, willing to do anything to gain the Dark Lord's trust…even give up his own family. Even give up me.  
  
Mother- a self centred Ice Queen, who thinks she is the only reason the world goes round. Never able to see beyond the brightest diamond.  
  
And my house. A mere shell with three people forced to share its shelter. Yes, it was big. Of course, it was grand. But it was not a HOME.  
  
I pondered this as I trudged up to my bedroom. Even the images of the Slytherin snake scattered around the room did nothing to improve my temper.  
  
"Ugh…" I murmured, spotting silhouettes of the Gryffindor lion alongside the snake. How distasteful. I had to get away from all this – Gryffindor.  
  
I was so, so sick of Gryffindors. It gave me a headache just to think about them. And I needed to get out of this wing. The smell of Gryffindor was sickly. It stained the air like blood stained a carpet – it lingered. And even if it disappeared, you could still sense it.  
  
I wandered round the Head's Wing aimlessly, morose and thoughtful. There was seldom a time I was thoroughly happy. I always had…some 'mission' or the other, set by Father, of course.  
  
In first year, I couldn't be a normal 11-year-old child, in their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. No, I had to spy on that geek Potter. Perfect Potter. Potter, of the almost instant popularity. Potter of GRYFFINDOR.  
  
On top of that, there was Quirrell. I had had to report back on him to Father every week.  
  
In second year, I had to watch the youngest Weasley, Ginny. To make sure she didn't suspect Father's little ploy with the Diary. It worked. Well, almost.  
  
Third year had been a memorable one. Trying to get that Hippogriff killed. And it had been successful. Nearly.  
  
That had been the time in my life when Father possessed complete and utter control of me. I was just a child – blindly following his 'Dad's' orders. Eager to please – to gain brownie points. Well, I had just HAD to get that new racing broom, hadn't I?  
  
I disgust myself.  
  
**************************  
  
Sharlette Jeonly ambled along the castle Grounds, breath a little fast - she had just ran all the way from Gryffindor Tower. Her curly auburn whipped back in the wind, and her misty, haunted grey eyes stung from the cold.  
  
Shivering, she wrapped her cloak closer around herself. She crept down to the lake, mind weary.  
  
'I definitely need a Penisive now,' she thought, grinning half-heartedly through the thick muffler encircling her neck.  
  
Suddenly, she stopped. Why shouldn't she get a Penisive, then? There were plenty around school, right? Maybe Snape had one…  
  
Unlike most Gryffindors, Sharlette adored Potions. She loved the feeling of power it gave her. It was a raw, natural magic-no 'foolish wand waving'; as Snape had said to her on her first day here, back in Sixth Year. She would never admit it to anyone, but Professor Snape was by far the most realistic teacher at Hogwarts.  
  
Well, as far as she could tell, anyway.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a yelp behind her, and a scuffle of feet. Curiously, she twisted around.  
  
Nothing. Just Hogwarts Castle.  
  
Odd.  
  
She carried on walking towards the lake, eyes fixed on the glistening water, reflecting the beautiful sunset like an enchanted mirror – emphasising the golden glow of the setting sky, and the pink sheen of the clouds. It was pretty, but isolated.  
  
Oh, God, no. Not more of the 'I'm-so-lonely-and-feeling-sorry-for-myself' thoughts again, she sighed inwardly.  
  
There was always that little black cloud hovering over her. All in all, Sharlette found it very pathetic, but could do nothing to change the way she felt.  
  
She was fed up, really. And sort of…lonely. She was tired of being excluded from the 'Dream Team's' escapades. She knew that they were her friends. Of course. But…they would always be best friends, and they had been since they were 11. Sharlette was smart enough to recognize the bonds of fierce loyalty and love that tied the three together.  
  
Something she would never share with anyone. Ever.  
  
But she was strong – and brave. She faced everything that came her way…she was sensitive, but courageous. Thickskinned. It was a quality she had developed from years of being shunned from one foster home to another, never staying in one place for more than a month or two.  
  
Foster parents often claimed that she "didn't work out." Or that she "wouldn't cooperate".  
  
Not much she could do about that though, she sighed. It had been tough, watching her parents die before her very eyes. Killed by wizard…an evil wizard. A wizard who would let nothing get in the way of his rise to power.  
  
Voldemort.  
  
She had always known she was a wizard. The Jeonlys were a valuable pureblood family – and had been powerful at the time…her father had been the Vice Minister of Magic. Perhaps that was why Voldemort had wanted him on the Dark Side. But Philip Jeonly has been obstinate…so he died - like his ancestors – taking his wife with him…and leaving Sharlette alone – forever.  
  
She was suddenly snapped alert from her reminiscing by what sounded like a scream…  
  
A human scream  
  
The noise became louder, and rang through the late evening air, its tone frantic. Soon the scream turned into turned into a series of loud yelps. Sharlette froze in her tracks. The shrieks rose to a blasting crescendo, and died away peacefully.  
  
Shar shivered violently, unsettled. Shakily, she peered around her once more. She could see nothing but the lake, trees, the famous Whomping Willow, and Hogwarts Castle.  
  
An emotion hardly ever found in the head of Sharlette Jeonly coursed through her veins.  
  
Fright.  
  
(A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little short – I've kept you guys waiting too long!) 


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